The International Alice Competition!
by BlueFirefly
Summary: A big international event was going to be held in Alice Academy. Could Mikan and the others join it? HxR, MxN. Announcement: 'Creating your own character' feature is now closed. Chapter 9 is finally up!
1. Chapter 1: What's IAC?

Disclaimer: If you think I'm Tachibana Higuchi, or an owner of Gakuen Alice (Alice Academy), then you're totally wrong.

Author's Note: This fic might remind you of Triwizard Tournament from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire but don't worry coz I'll make it different XD. Oh, and a little note, in this fic, Hotaru could explain her inventions to somebody else (I'm sick of her explaining to nobody).

Summary: A big international event was going to be held at Alice Academy. Could Mikan and the others join it? HxR starting from Chapter 2. MxN would be a little later. Special feature: creating your own character from your own country! But, read the chapter first, please!

Chapter 1: What's IAC?

Early morning, a few days after New Year party, Mikan Sakura awoke from her sleep in high spirits, eager of what had awaited her on an, once again, ordinary and sunny day in Alice Academy. Well, actually nobody living outside the high, red brick walls of Alice Academy would ever think ordinary days in there were ordinary.

Mikan, too, had experienced many incredible things since her first arrival to the school. First, she was almost kidnapped by two guys in front of the school gate, then she was saved by a man whom she thought was a homosexual, and a little later on she saw an explosion made by a boy wearing a mask of a black cat.

What happened next was beyond her wildest imagination. She was accepted to join the school, but before even an hour passed, she had experienced her skirt being ripped of by the 'black cat' and his friend. Before even a day passed, she had been bullied by a bossy girl, a kid who could lift her body to the air, and getting her mind read clearly by a yome kokoro (mind reader).

However, Mikan was resolute standing all the suffering and surprisingly, lived her new life in Alice Academy with laughter, happiness, and spirit. This influenced some other students, including the boss of class B braggarts' gang, the Black Cat a.k.a. Natsume Hyuuga. At first, this famous fire wielder was annoyed with Mikan's presence, but little by little he felt a special affection to the girl.

Though Mikan had brought a new atmosphere around her friends, but still, only a few students could welcome a new day in Alice Academy with pure happiness like her.

Mikan quickly put on her shoes and uniform and cheerfully jogged into her classroom.

And then without any warning…

"Hotaruuuuuuuuu! Good morniiii—"

_Baka!_

……And you know what happened.

"Stop giving me your good morning hugs………."

Hotaru Imai was Mikan's best 'meanie-money-mania genius inventor' friend and the one-and-only reason why Mikan came to the academy. She didn't look care to others in general but deep down, she cared much about the noisy girl………

"………….'Coz I'm sick of them."

……………………..Well, maybe.

"But…!"

"You again, Polka-dots?" said a boy who had just entered the classroom with his blond friend.

"Hi, Natsume!" greeted Mikan, "Good morning, Ruka-_pyon_!"

Ruka blushed when he saw Mikan greeted him and nodded.

Typical Ruka.

Ruka Nogi was Natsume's best friend in life and death, who always turned into a bundle of nerves when he went around Mikan. He was best known of his animal pheromone alice, though he hardly showed his ability to anyone. Unfortunately, he performed his alice in front of a person who didn't hesitate to use this chance for her own needs. And so, Ruka's severe days of being blackmailed was started on the very day.

_Flash_!

"What the…? Imai!" said Ruka, trying to snatch Hotaru's camera which had just taken a picture of his blushed face.

Hotaru quickly hid her camera and shot Ruka with her cannon.

"Good morning, childr—"

_Oni-Blaaaaaaaast!_

"Oh my God, Jinno-_senseiii_!"

Hotaru's aim missed and hit Jinno-_sensei_'s face, who was standing in front of the door at the moment. Everybody thought Hotaru would be dead by a minute, but Jinno-_sensei_ fell backwards and fainted.

"Invention number 666: Demon Cannon. Can make somebody sleep and have nightmares for between 5 hours to 5 days. Not for kids. Might be dreadful for people who are afraid of ghosts. Not for sale."

"……………………………." There was a silence when everyone watched Hotaru explaining.

"Oh no, Jinno-_sensei_ is gonna die!" said Sumire all of a sudden.

"Was that what you were thinking before? 'Coz I don't think so, "said Yome Kokoro.

"You gotta do something about this, Imai!" said Sumire as if she didn't hear what Yome Kokoro said.

"What's all the racket? Whoa, whoa, what happened to you, Jinno-_sensei_?"

"Narumi-_sensei_!" said Mikan.

"Narumi-_sensei_, it was the Omen Cannon Imai invented, "said the boy who was flying near the ceiling.

"Demon Cannon, "corrected Yome Kokoro.

"Oh, yeah, "said the boy afterwards, "It was the Demon Cannon thingy Imai invented which driven Jinno-_sensei_ into ghostly nightmares."

"Oh, my, Jinno-_sensei_ won't ever like that, "Narumi laughed, "Well, I guess I should care of things here, hey you over there!" he called the boy with levitation alice, "Please take Jinno-_sensei_ nicely to the faculty room, okay?"

After the boy had gone with Jinno-_sensei_ floating beside him, Narumi-_sensei_ stood in front of the class and clapped his hands.

"Jinno-_sensei_ was just dropping in to replace me announcing an interesting news, "he said, "Maybe some of you have known, that next month we will participate in the International Alice Competition!"

Some children cheered of this and Mikan asked curiously, "International…Alice…Competition?"

Yuu, who was sitting next to her, noticed her question and said, "Mikan-_chan_, the International Alice Competition is a competition held every five years between the best alice wielders from Alice Academies all over the world!"

"Wow, I've never thought of such a cool competition!" said Mikan enthusiastically, "When? When? Can we see it?"

"The IAC is always held at the chosen Alice Academy, "said Yuu, "I always want to see one! Or even join one! But it's really hard to join an IAC; you need to be the best of the best."

"But Iinchou, "said Yome Kokoro, who was sitting next to him, "You're a triple star, wouldn't it be easy for you to join this year?"

"Kids, for more information, you can read on the Announcement Board near the class A corridor, "said Narumi, "Make sure you don't miss this big event! Now off to your ability class!"

-------------------------------------------------------..

"International Alice Academy?" said Tsubasa-_sempai_.

"Yeah, _sempai_, Narumi-_sensei_ said that it will be the greatest event ever!" said Mikan.

"Really? But I've never heard about it before!"

Mikan's jaw dropped.

"You're such a lazy idiot, Tsubasa!"

Misaki-_sempai_ came and whacked Tsubasa's head.

"Yowtch! What now, Misakiii?"

"You don't know because you're sleeping when _Sensei_ was giving an explanation about it, idiot!"

"Oh, yeah…"

"…And so were you five years ago!"

"Misaki-_sempai_, have you ever watched IAC?" asked Mikan.

"No, I haven't, "said Misaki-_sempai_, "The previous two IACs were held at Alice Academies somewhere around Europe or America, so obviously none of us Middle-Schools have ever watched one."

"So…where will it be held this time?"

"I don't know, but maybe you can find out from the Announcement Board?" she said, "'Coz actually Nodacchi is time-traveling somewhere again so you can't ask him anything now…"

------------------------------------------------...

"Hotaru! I know I'll find you here!" said Mikan while approaching Hotaru, who was reading the Announcement Board with Yuu, Yome Kokoro, Anna, and Nonoko.

"Mikan-_chan_, look!" said Anna, pointing to the Announcement Board.

Mikan looked at it and read.

**Attention for:**

**International Alice Competition**

**Location: Tokyo Alice Academy**

**Day/Date: Saturday/13th February 20xx – Thursday/18th February 20xx**

**The participators of this event will represent:**

**Tokyo Alice Academy, Japan (Japan)**

**Beijing Alice Academy, China (East and North Asia)**

**Singapore Alice Academy, Singapore (South-East Asia)**

**Kuwait Alice Academy, Kuwait (South and West Asia)**

**Cairo Alice Academy, Egypt (Africa)**

**Moscow Alice Academy, Russia (Russia)**

**Berlin Alice Academy, Germany (Central Europe)**

**Rome Alice Academy, Italy (South Europe)**

**London Alice Academy, Great Britain (England, Ireland, and Iceland)**

**Stockholm Alice Academy, Sweden (North Europe)**

**New York Alice Academy, USA (USA)**

**Toronto Alice Academy, Canada (Canada)**

**Mexico Alice Academy, Mexico (Central America)**

**Sao Paulo Alice Academy, Brazil (South America)**

**---------------------...**

**Attention for all Tokyo Alice Academy students:**

**The selection to choose the representations from Tokyo Alice Academy will be held on 28th January 20xx. The selection will choose:**

**The Best of Active Ability: 3 (Class B, Middle School, and High School)**

**The Best of Technology Ability: 3 (Class B, Middle School, and High School)**

**The Best of Physical Ability: 3 (Class B, Middle School, and High School)**

**The Best of Special Ability: 3 (Class B, Middle School, and High School)**

**Note: Students from class A and Dangerous Ability class are not allowed to join IAC.**

**-----------------------...**

**More about IAC**

**The winner of International Alice Competition will receive the prize of 100,000 Rt. and an honor of Principal Membership.**

**The representations from other countries will arrive on Saturday, 13th February 20xx.**

**There will be 3 rounds in the IAC.**

**For more information about IAC please ask Jinno-_sensei_ Narumi-_sensei_.**

_To be continued……_

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------...

A/N: Well, that's it for now.

Now about the "Create your Original Character (OC) from Your Country!"

I will accept 2 OCs per country, not more and not less!

I can only accept 12 first-posted OCs, so quick and post yours now!

Remember to stay tune, guys, coz your OCs will be in the story a few chapters ahead.

Here is how you tell me your OCs:

Name:** (Please don't post a very uncommon name from your country)**

Sex:

Age/Grade: **(One of your OCs must be from the same grade as Mikan's)**

City/Country: **(For the city is optional. The country is where your character came from) (I'm sorry for Japanese readers but you can't make OCs from class B . )**

Representation of: **(Which region he/she representated? Ex: South-East Asia)**

Alice type: **(Active, Technology, Physical, or Special. If his/her alice type was Dangerous, make your own story about how he/she can join the tournament despite the IAC rule)**

Alice name and explanation:

Physical description:

Characteristics:

Story/Background:

I'll wait for your post and reviews!


	2. Chapter 2: As If You Care About Me

A/N: Thank you everyone for reviewing and posting your OCs! Oh, and my chatting friends who also read this fic have e-mailed me some of their OCs, but I'm still waiting for more! Here's chapter 2, and I promise you a pretty long chapter next. Well, enjoy! RxR!

Chapter 2: As If You Care About Me

Once upon a time, in an extraordinary place where laughs and conceits hid sorrows, loneliness, and pain, lived a twelve-year-old, expressionless girl named Hotaru Imai. Between all her friends who have their own special talents, nothing interest Hotaru more than using her ability to invent for gaining extra money. However, since HotaLogic said that money would come non-stop to you if you did not care to others, sly, and never hesitated to snap any coming chances, Hotaru learned that she could do whatever she wanted to whatever beneficial in front of her.

Well, usually, her actions in the shake of collecting Rabbits were too unpredictable for people in general. Or you can say, the evil genius would stop at nothing for collecting more and more money while at the same time torturing more and more people.

Alice Academy, an elite school for children who have some kinds of amazing abilities called 'alice', was the first place to give Hotaru an obligation to develop her own invention 'alice'. Surprisingly, Hotaru didn't spend her first moths in the academy blackmailing, cheating, or fooling people around with her alice, at least until her silly ol' best friend from her previous school Mikan Sakura showed up.

After Hotaru got Mikan on her side, she gave up her ambition to visit her parents and turned over a new a leaf. And not a pretty good one, mind you. Hotaru started to show up her skills of making money by making weird gadgets, small devices to make sure that she would never miss any profitable chance. All of a sudden, she became famous of her frightening ways to make other people her pets.

And we all have known Hotaru's most favorable way for her purpose and who the main victim was. Of course, the "hidden camera" and the blond triple-star Ruka Nogi.

Before Ruka met Mikan, he had never thought about that girl with purple eyes and raven-black hair, who on her first classes always sat on the seat at the second row, who seemed kind but also seemed bad. In short, Ruka knew nothing about her and he also didn't care.

-------------------------------------------…

Ruka's first, well, recognizable communication with the triple-starred inventor was without speech.

After he, ahem, "played" with the Giant Piyo, Mikan laughed so hard that he decided to leave, but Hotaru gripped his shoulder and showed him the photograph of him "playing" with Piyo without any further talks. As Ruka consider meaning, "You Should Not Go Away That Easy or You Will Find Somebody Else Laughing as Loud as That Idiotic Girl."

From that first impression, you can guess that they got along pretty well…..indirectly. When Ruka discovered Hotaru selling 'Ruka's-hot-thingies-and-embarassment-or-else' objects, the historical cat-and-dog chase between machines and animals began. Hotaru was clever enough to evade being caught by Ruka, but the drill never changed much. Their relationship never changed a bit since then.

---------------------------------------…..

It was impossible if the genius devil was not provoked by the IAC Tournament.

Her biggest chance to get 'easy' 100,000 Rabbits.

At least that's what Ruka and everyone else think, and she did start to improve her alice like mad from that very day.

Five days after the IAC announcement, Ruka heard from Anna that Misaki-_sensei_ had admonished Hotaru for working too much during Technology Ability class. Although Misaki-_sensei_ didn't recommend her to join IAC, it seemed that Hotaru herself who was ambitious to win the tournament.

Typical Hotaru, thought Ruka desperately.

However, Hotaru kept working even more than before. Another news came from Nonoko that she could still hear Hotaru working in her room or sometimes, her laboratory, even after midnight. Ruka also heard Mikan told Iinchou and Yome Kokoro sadly that Hotaru had changed and became much more careless because of exhaustion and not having enough sleep.

Whether he wanted to or not, he felt a little pity to her.

The next day, when Ruka was checking his books in his room after school, he realized that he left one of his notebooks at school. He couldn't find Natsume anywhere and concluded that Natsume was cat-and-mouse chasing with Persona once again. So he decided to go back to school with Usagin and fetch his notebook himself.

Every corridor he passed was deserted. Ruka thought that his classroom was deserted, too, but it wasn't. When Ruka entered the classroom, he saw Hotaru sitting on one of the front desks, sleeping peacefully with her head rested on the books, notes, and diagrams scattered all over the desk.

What the heck was this girl doing in the room after all of the other students had gone? Ruka approached Hotaru and examined her sleeping face. He had never looked at her face this close before. He recognized how tired she was.

What a true money hunter.

But this is too much, thought Ruka, Six days and she has forced herself this much, that's it, somebody must remind her that she has her own limit and she almost passes it now.

Oh, well, somebody?

Mikan, Yuu, Anna, Nonoko, Misaki-_sensei_, Shoda-_sempai_, and even Yome Kokoro, might have cared and reminded her about her condition now.

Why should he, who was nothing more than Hotaru's source of money, care a thing about her?

'_Coz, Ruka-pyon,_ Mikan's voice rang through his head, _we're all friends so we all care about each other, including you, Ruka-pyon!_

Mikan thought I am her friend, he thought, but I can't even help when her best friend was in trouble! What kind of friend is that? I can't be considered as a friend of hers… Ruka's heart ached with pain.

He examined Hotaru's face again to relieve his pain, and he realized that she looked so…cute while sleeping.

…………………What…_kawaii_?

No, Ruka, wake up, wake up, what were you just thinking about?

You suddenly realized that Hotaru was cute! Big deal!

That couldn't be true.

What was so cute about this ….. somewhat …..egoistic ……mean …..insipid …..beast! (?) Wait, wait, that's too harsh, nobody would get close to her if she was a beast anyway.

Think again, Ruka, even though she is 'somewhat-egoistic-mean-and-insipid'……. minus the beast, she gotta have something you don't know, more than her talents, something you never spot before, something… Ruka was absorbed in his thoughts when suddenly somebody said,

"What are you doing in here?"

Ruka jumped in surprise. The empty and quiet classroom enabled him to think in his head as long as he wanted to and Hotaru had woken up from her sleep!

"Ah…Imai…I'm just….looking…for my history notebook…" answered Ruka hurriedly.

"I mean…what are you doing that close to me?"

Ruka realized that he had bent pretty low to examine Hotaru's face while thinking inside his head. His face now was just about less than twenty centimeters from Hotaru's.

"It was noth---"

As quick as lightning, Hotaru picked up her gun and…

_BAKA!_

Ruka was shot right in the face and fell backwards. Usagin squeaked.

"Idiot."

"Imai!" said Ruka hesitatedly, but he went on, "Everybody is worried about you and you just act like you don't care and you keep on torturing yourself!"

"Why don't you just fetch your notebook and get outta here?" she said and started to read her book, "I need to concentrate, y'know."

"Why are you forcing yourself like this, Imai?" asked Ruka stubbornly, "If this is only for the shake of the prize, then everybody must lock you up from doing any more work…"

"As if you care about me."

Those six words stabbed Ruka's heart like sharp needles.

"Of…" he said, "…Of course I care! I'm…I'm…I'm your friend, too!"

She looked up to Ruka eye to eye.

"Liar, "she said, "You would never become my 'friend' if Mikan didn't show up. You would always become the same as them all, Nogi, Hyuuga's pets."

Ruka had forgotten all about his notebook and said loudly, "What's wrong with you? Natsume's my friend, and I don't and never become his pet. Natsume never think anybody is his pet! You're so mean and cold to anyone, even they who care much about you!"

Hotaru picked up a pen from her pencil case.

"If you think so, then go away and don't disturb me anymore," she said as she started to write.

Vexed, Ruka stomped his way to his desk and looked for his book, but he couldn't find it, even after he looked around the class. He looked at Hotaru's bowed head, and said, "I can't find my book, so I think I'll leave you now. I just wanna tell you that there are still people who care about you despite your annoying attitude, y'know, so don't stay too long in here and get enough rest, or everyone will keep worrying about your health."

Hotaru said nothing and Ruka walked out of the room. However, Ruka could hear Hotaru whispered unclearly before he left, "Nogi, you one little idiot."

_To Be Continued…_


	3. Chapter 3: Unpredictable, Always

A/N: Here it is the pretty long chapter (well at least in my opinion) I promised y'all! Please read 'thoroughly' and enjoy!

Chapter 3: Unpredictable, Always

Early morning, a week right before IAC selection, Natsume entered class B with, as usual, Ruka and his little rabbit friend, Usagin. Natsume looked at Ruka. His best friend had just informed him on their way to the classroom, that Hotaru had somehow teased him as a so-called 'Natsume's pet'.

Actually, Natsume didn't really care about it, but he knew Ruka felt miserable since Hotaru was Mikan's best friend and if she told the Polka-dots that he had yelled to her, his friendship with Mikan would surely doomed forever (well, at least that was what he thought), and one more thing, since that day, Usagin looked weaker than usual and he concluded that it might be caused by Hotaru's direct hit yesterday (maybe it could make animals dumber?).

Natsume might look wild and cruel, but his real self cared much about others close to him, Ruka for example. He then tried to console Ruka and told him that as far as he knew, Hotaru was not a type of person who even minded those kinds of things. Ruka didn't have time to answer him back because Mikan came and greeted them happily once again.

Natsume gave Ruka a see?-she-didn't-care-about-it look, but then Mikan said, "Ruka-_pyon_, I want to talk to you…"

Ruka's expression looked just as his heart had skipped one or two beats.

"W-what?"

"Ruka-_pyon_, about Hotaru…"

Oh, so Imai did tell her?…thought Natsume, Poor boy, but I can do nothing to help him now…

"…………….I wanna thank you!"

"?..." Ruka looked flabbergasted.

Natsume raised his eyebrows.

But Mikan went on, "Hotaru told me that you met her yesterday to stop her from working any longer, "she smiled, "And for that I gotta say thanks, you're a really caring friend, Ruka-_pyon_!"

Ruka's surprised face was quickly replaced by a crimson, blushing one.

Ruka has made a narrow escape, thought Natsume, 'Coz Imai might forget to tell Strawberries about the yelling pa—wait a second.

So Imai can forget about something like that? ...Not in a million years…

Mayeb she was just making fun of us…or maybe she finally turned idiotic...

Ruka might have realized this, too, because he looked at Hotaru, who was making up something on her desk as usual, looked ignoring their whole conversation.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------…

It was break time and Ruka looked much better now, he looked relaxed while trailing Natsume out of the class.

"Wait, animal boy." Someone suddenly gripped his shoulder before he could get out of the room.

"Whoa, I-Imai?" said Ruka. Natsume looked back in curiosity.

"I've found your notebook, "she handed Ruka's lost history notebook without expression.

"Oh, "said Ruka, who looked startled, "Why, thanks, I thought…"

"Hotaru!" Mikan's face was seen before the door, "What are you doing? Literally with Ruka and Natsume?"

"Nothing, "she said, "Just a little chitchat."

"What? I've never thought you would like to chitchat with them, "said Mikan, "Why, Natsume, why don't you come with us? Let's eat together!"

"Why should I hang around with a blockhead like you?" came the reply.

"What? A blockhead? Natsume, you…!"

"C'mon, Ruka, let's get outta here, "said Natsume.

"Natsume, you jerk!" said Mikan as Natsume walked passed her with Ruka behind him. Natsume ignored her as usual.

"And, Nogi, if I found another thing of yours left around here again, I won't hesitate to sell it to your fan club, "added Hotaru as she left the classroom with Mikan.

"She won't, "Ruka whispered back.

Natsume gave Ruka and his book a glance and said nothing.

"Natsume…"said Ruka, "She isn't that bad, don't you think?"

Natsume stayed silent and walked away with his friend.

In his heart, he felt an indistinct happiness because Ruka was attracted to another girl besides Mikan…

--------------------------------------.

"Hotaru…" said Mikan.

"Hotaru, are you alright?" asked Iinchou.

"Hotaru-_san_…" said Yome Kokoro.

"Hey, Hota—"

"Hotaru…!" shouted Mikan.

Hotaru looked as she was out of her daydreams. "What?" she asked.

"Hotaru, you're exhausted…" said Iinchou worriedly, "Take a break."

"Yeah, Hotaru, why don't we go to the Central Town together today?" asked Mikan.

"No, "said Hotaru and Yome Kokoro, who was clearly reading her mind.

Mikan looked disappointed. "But, but, why, Hotaru?" she asked, "Don't you like to take a stroll with us?"

"I have more important work to do than taking a stroll, "they answered in unison.

"Hotaru, you're overworked, "said Iinchou, "Why don't you come with us, maybe just for a while?"

Hotaru didn't say anything for a few seconds, but then she remembered something.

"Alright, I'll come with you guys after I take something I forgot from the dorm, "said Hotaru and Yome, "And, Yome Kokoro, stop reading my mind or I'll shoot you flying out of the window."

--------------------------------------------…

"You wanna go to Central Town?" asked Natsume, "For what?"

"I think he needs some medical care, "Ruka pointed at his little bunny, "I don't know what happened to him but he obviously looked sick…"

Natsume examined Usagin. The white rabbit, which was usually energetic and cheerful, now looked limp and powerless. His long ears lowered and he never moved much since the previous night. Natsume agreed to Ruka that based on his physical condition, Usagin sure needed a veterinarian.

"Ruka, I don't think there's an animal expert around Central Town, "said Natsume, "But perhaps we could buy something at the drugstore for this little guy."

Behind one of the trees, a man was listening to their conversation thoroughly as he smiled slyly and thought, 'The drug store, eh?'

---------------------------------------------…

After school, Mikan and the others rode on the first bus to Central Town. They sat close to each other and talked about IAC along the way.

"I bet it's gonna be an interesting event, isn't it?" asked Mikan, "I really wanna watch the competition, or maybe join it if I can!"

"An idiot like you won't ever join IAC, "said Hotaru, who was reading a book entitled _1001 Cunning Ways For Easy Money_.

Mikan glared at her, ready to fight, but Iinchou quickly explained to her, "Mikan, the participators of IAC must be the best of the bests…"

"So, Triple-stars and Specials have the biggest opportunity to join the competition, "said Yome Kokoro, "_Ne_, Iinchou, would you want to join it? You're Triple anyway."

"Triple-stars and Specials?" said Mikan, "Then, Hotaru, Iinchou, Ruka, and Natsume could join the competition?"

"Uhm, Mikan, Natsume can't join the IAC, "corrected Iinchou, "Though he's the best from Elementary School branch, students from Dangerous type ability are always strictly forbidden to join any part of the competition…"

"Huh, why?" asked Mikan disappointedly.

"Mikan, you dummy, it's just the same as the school festival, "said Hotaru, "They're afraid that if the alice wielders who mostly are responsible for horrible manslaughters, gathered from all over the world and rebel against the academy."

"Rebel?" said Mikan, "Natsume won't ever do such a thing!"

"I don't know, it's what they've decided, "said Hotaru, "Though you might trust Natsume, I gotta say that I agree with that single rule. From what I heard, kids like Natsume are much more cruel and fiercer out there."

"Mikan, haven't you had enough with your panty inci—"

"Waaah! Don't mention that again!" Mikan quickly attacked Yome Kokoro and he gagged.

"Mikan, instead of thinking about Natsume's chance, why don't you think about your chance in the event?" asked Yuu as he freed Yome Kokoro from her.

"You said, they want the bests of the bests, "said Mikan, "I'm just a Single-star, but I won't give up that easy! I'll prove them that I could increase my rank!"

"Well, you don't have to work that hard…" explained Iinchou, "Everybody can join the IAC, but there are some requirements. First, of course, he or she must be an alice wielder, and whom the academy usually considers firstly are the high-ranked pupils…"

"…And second, how useful the alice he or she possess in the competition, "said Yome Kokoro, "The academy won't choose students with useless alices in battles, even though they are triple-stars or Specials…"

"Third, is how they use their alice, or in other words, their cleverness and ability to make their alices functional in any condition. Even alices who in a moment look useless, but if their wielders can use their brains, they can be amazingly useful!"

"And about rule number four, it's a little difficult to explain, "added Hotaru, "As far as I know, the rule was unofficially added by seniors who had won the late competitions, from what they experienced and realized at the competitions. The winners of the previous IAC also said that this rule is the most important of all…"

"The winners of the previous competition? "cut Mikan, "You know them, Hotaru? Who are they?"

Hotaru didn't answer even after Mikan asked her several times. On her sixth attempt, she annoyed Hotaru so much that she was shot with a _baka_ gun in maximum power.

-----------------------------------------------------…

Late afternoon, Natsume and Ruka finally arrived at the Central Town. The sun was shining brightly, and the breeze blew softly around the town square. Ruka realized for the first time that it was a sunny, beautiful day for taking a walk.

Instead of telling Natsume about this, the confused boy asked, "So, where's the drug store?"

"C'mon , follow me, "said Natsume.

Ruka hesitated. It was a lovely day and he hardly ever walked around Central Town with Natsume in a day like this. He wanted to stay here longer.

"Oi, Natsume, "said Ruka, "Why don't we take a look around?"

"What?" said Natsume, "How many times have you visited this lousy place, and you still want to take a look around?"

"Come on, Natsume, "said Ruka, looking around, "It was a nice day and people around us are all enjoying themselves, except…" He stopped as he realized something not so far from him.

"Except…?" asked Natsume reluctantly. But Ruka replied with suddenly super-quick speed.

"Oh, oh yeah! Forget about what I said earlier, today is a terrible day, I heard there will be a storm tonight, and I have something to do, urgently, so, Natsume, could you please buy some medicine without me, I'll pay you, so see you later!"

Natsume did nothing but gagged at Ruka's bewildering words as Ruka ran to the opposite direction.

Half-puzzled, half-astonished, Natsume turned back and went on to the drug store by himself.

-------------------------------------------------…

When Ruka was talking with Natsume, he spotted her; sitting under a tree with her back leaning on it, her hands working swiftly on a camera-like device. How the hell was she working after I shouted at her like that? thought Ruka and he felt being taken lightly.

He immediately left Natsume and approached the girl. She didn't even look up when he stood beside her.

"Great, "said Ruka, "Imai, why are you working again? I thought you've realized what you're exactly doing now, Miss Capable-All."

"I know what I'm doing now, so go away, "said Hotaru.

"So you know you've worked too much and you're working again! Are you such an idi—"

"Continue those words, Nogi, and you'll soon regret,"said Hotaru threateningly.

Ruka showed no fear; he sat next to her with Usagin yawning on his lap.

He silenced for a while, but when he knew that Hotaru didn't mind about it, he asked, "What are you inventing?"

"Nothing special, "said Hotaru, "Mikan and the other noisy guys insisted me to come, so I just slipped in the crowd and relaxed here. This thing is good-for-no-one but me."

"That's your hobby?" said Ruka with surprise, "No wonder you're so intelligent, so capable-all, so confusing, and…whatever, all of those other sos. Maybe even Mikan can't understand about you."

"This has nothing to do with that idiot."

"You call her an idiot, don't you? As if you don't understand that she has traveled miles to be reunited with you, that she is happy just always to be with you, that she calls you her best friend ever and you call her an idiot. You're just an icy-cold girl like almost all people in this acade—"

"Shut up, "she said loudly.

Ruka turned his face to her and she looked to him eye to eye. Even in her emotionless eyes, face and accent, he could tell that she was blazing with anger.

She stood up and said, "You know nothing about me and you never will. "

Ruka was secretly amazed. What…had he said? He had forgotten about Mikan's explanation that Hotaru was similar to Natsume, cared to others deep in their hearts. He just told her all he had thought about her without even thought of her feelings. He was the idiot, not her.

"I-I'm sorry, Hotaru!" said Ruka as he hurriedly stood up, "I know I'm wrong, I…"

"I'm the idiot for wasting my time with you, "said Hotaru, "If you don't leave now then I will."

"Perhaps you hate me, okay, "admitted Ruka, "I know I'm wrong, I'm too stupid, and I hurt your feelings. So you might feel better if you leave me now."

Hotaru just looked at him for some time and asked, "I've been wondering, what happened to your rabbit?"

Ruka didn't expect Hotaru to give such reply, but he said, "Uhm, I don't know, but he has looked like this since last night."

She suddenly walked back to him and asked, "Give me your rabbit."

"What? What will you do to him?"

"I know how to make him better, trust me."

Ruka hesitated a little, but he handed his weak rabbit to her.

She examined him for a while, and gave him a small capsule.

"W-what's that?"

"My newest invention, "she said, "Probably the most useful these days."

Usagin soon looked healthier and he squeaked happily. Ruka considered that it hasn't even a minute passed.

"How could you…?" asked Ruka amazedly.

"I worked together with Nonoko some time ago, "she said, "I don't really understand chemistry but I helped her with some solutions. I told her to keep it secret until I make enough capsules for sale. I've tried it myself and it could help me working hours without any rest, but recently I've discovered that it has side effects if you take it too much, so I stopped consuming it."

"So what will you do about it?"

"Am I looked like a kind of person who throws away my fail inventions?" said Hotaru, "Last night, I changed the formula myself, and I found that if some ingredients are added to it, it will make a…"

"Ruka-_pyon_, I'm hungry."

"Wait a sec, Usa, I will buy something at the town later."

"But it's boring here. Let's eat."

"How could say such a………..thing?" Ruka gapped at his rabbit and shouted, "Y-y-you just spoke?"

"Why should I care, I wanna eat, "he said shortly.

"Hotaru! Say something!"

"……….It will create Translating Tonic, "she said, "But what I gave to your rabbit is just sample."

"Sa, sample? What will you do if something happens to him!"

"Calm down. If something happened to him then I will probably feel the same, 'coz I've tried it on myself," she said simply.

"You just don't care about the risk, huh?" asked Ruka desperately, "Hotaru, you…"

But suddenly Usagin squeaked and jumped forward. "Watch out! Watch out!" he shouted.

"Huh? What's wrong?"

And all of a sudden…

Ka-BOOOOOOOOOM!

"What's that?"

"An explosion!"

"Where? Where?"

"The drug store!" "It came out of the drug store!"

"The drug store is destroyed! The explosion came out of the drug store!"

_To Be Continued…._

-----------------------------------------------------…

A/N: How's the chap, everybody? RxR now, please!


	4. Chapter 4:The Mysterious Kidnapper

A/N: I said thanks to everybody who is still following my story! Thanks for reading and even more thanks for reviewing my story! Here's chapter 4, enjoy, everyone!

Chapter 4: The Mysterious Kidnapper

What would happen if an unfeeling, parching kid, who smoldered anyone against him, met a brunette who didn't even care about his reputation as a mass murderer since they first saw each other? The boy was secretly astonished with this girl, being the first person who tried to make friends instead of keeping a distance with him, even after terrible things he did to her. A _true_ friend, not a person who became his 'friend' by admiration or simple fanciness.

Natsume couldn't tell why he didn't just…say, kick her out of her mind or burn her whole body into ash, 'coz she had annoyed him more than anyone else, maybe even more than Persona. Instead, he felt more and more comfortable with her laughing, thanking, and silly deeds, and little by little, he felt certain affection to the foolishly brave girl.

On the other hand, Mikan Sakura finally learned what the immortal phrase, 'The more you hate, the more you love!' meant. Everybody, _everybody_ told her that the boy known wearing a black cat mask was a dangerous fire-caster with rebelling desire. Idiotic as she was, she didn't show any fear to him at all, and after some time, she even felt pity to the icy-cold, red-hot boy.

Even Hotaru first thought both of them hated each other, but they also endeared each other without them knowing it. Nothing was impossible for love, wasn't it? The exact opposite couple was surprisingly getting along well with each other, although Natsume didn't change his attitude much, literally his new hobby of burning her hair every morning.

--------------------------------------------------…

One afternoon, when Mikan saw her best friend Hotaru needed some rest, she asked her to come with her to Central Town. However, after about an hour, she discovered that Hotaru was missing. She then looked for Hotaru around the town with the help of her friends, Iinchou and Yome Kokoro, but they couldn't find her anywhere.

"Let's see, "said Iinchou after some time searching, "Where are the places Hotaru might visit here?"

"Maybe the shops selling her inventions around here?" asked Yome Kokoro,

"……Or maybe she's buying some howalon or having a meal at one of the cafeterias?"

"…….Or maybe she's buying something? Maybe at the tool shop or drug store?"

"…….Or maybe she's lost?"

"……..Or maybe…"

"Yome Kokoro, stop reading our minds!"

------------------------------------------------------------…

Yuu decided that they should spread everywhere to find her. Mikan thought that Hotaru might had gone to one of the shops, but then she remembered that Hotaru might feel sick after working hard, and maybe she wanted to buy some medicine? So off she went to the drug store.

She jostled through the crowd and looked around her along the way, maybe she could notice Hotaru through the shop windows, but she couldn't find her until she arrived at the drug store. She sighed and went into it as a little bell jingled announcing her arrival.

I felt weird, thought Mikan, As I've known that there was something hot…or fishy…here.

And she was right after all.

"Na-Na-Nat…"

The handsome boy turned around and glared at her. His eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Polka-dots…"

"Don't call me that again, you jerk!" shouted Mikan.

Natsume sniffed. He really _loved_ her acting like this.

"What are you doing here, Polka-dots?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. Natsume, have you seen Hotaru?"

"Imai? No."

Mikan slumped in disappointment.

"What if something happened to her?" she asked.

Natsume said nothing. He felt pity to her and said, "Have you searched everywhere?"

"Yes, I have! But I can't find her! We were just hanging around the town and she suddenly disappeared!" said Mikan, "What should I do if something happened to her? I'll have nightmares every night!"

"Hey, cheer up, Imai might feel bored hanging around with ya and maybe she just slipped out?"

"O-kay, forget about it, why should I talk about this with you?" Mikan stood up and said, "By the way, what are _you_ doing here, Natsume? You don't look like a type of person who will ever visit a place like a drug store, do you?"

"Idiot, I'm buying some medicine for Ruka. His rabbit isn't in a good condition, "said Natsume.

"Then, where's Ruka?" asked Mikan, "Oh, maybe he's with Hotaru!"

Do Ruka look like a type of person who will hang around with a person named Hotaru? thought Natsume desperately.

"He's…doing something, I dunno, "said Natsume, "He's kinda in a hurry so he sent me here to buy it for him."

"Great, "said Mikan, "Maybe I should go somewhere else…"

…click…click…click…

"Wait, "said Natsume, "Do you hear something?"

"Huh?"

…click…click…click…

"I don't hear anything…"

"Idiot, I hear something clicking…or ticking…"

…click…click…click…

"Maybe you're just hearing somebody's watch around here?"

…click…

"No, it's not a watch…"

…click…

"I've heard this clicking before…"

…click…

"What are you…?"

Click……………………Dreeeeeeeeeeen!

"Mikan! Look out!"

"What the…? Natsume!"

---------------------------------------------------……

"What…just happened…?" asked Ruka.

"Are you deaf? There was a Ka-BOOOOM and everybody started yelling about drug…"

"…store?" said Ruka, "Oh, no!"

He quickly ran away and Hotaru said, "Wait, you left your…"

She glanced at Ruka's back for a while and sighed, "So, are you coming with me or not?"

"As if you care about me, Hotaru-_chan_, "replied the rabbit.

Hotaru let out a smile, praising the little bunny's intelligence.

---------------------------------------------------…

"Hotaru! We've finally found you!"

Iinchou and Yome Kokoro ran across her when she was about to arrive at the drug store.

"Where's Mikan?" asked Hotaru immediately. She had already felt it, as she had known something was wrong, something awful had happened to her best friend.

"We don't know! She was looking for you around town and she…"

Ka-BOOOOOOOOM!

--------------------------------------------…

Sitting on a branch under a shady tree, Tsubasa Andou was sleeping soundly, until his friend from Special Ability class called, "Tsubasa! Tsubasa! Wake up!"

"Hump…"he opened his eyes and looked down the tree to his friends, "What's up?"

"Have you heard about the explosion at Central Town (perhaps not…)?"

"No. What's wrong with that?"

"Half of Special Ability class are there, remember?" said the panicked teenager.

"But…"said Tsubasa, "They might be uninjured, right? I mean, they won't visit really crowded places, I think."

"Well…"

"I just asked Misaki to buy me some Daydream Tonic, "he said happily.

"What?"

"Daydream Tonic, don't you know? The one from the drug store that can make you--"

"Oh my god, Tsubasa, you've just killed her!"

------------------------------------------------------……

"How many explosions were there in total?" asked Hotaru.

"Three, "said Usagin, "One at the drug store, one over the North, and one about the Western Woods."

"You sense something from this accident, don't you, Hotaru?" said Yome Kokoro.

"Ah, I remember!" said Yuu, "Was this…was this caused by the _Kitsune-tsuki_?"

"_Kitsune-tsuki_? What's that?"

"Before I explain to you, could you please tell me why you aren't with Ruka and how you can talk…?"

"Is that matter now?"

"Well, no."

"Then what's _Kitsune-tsuki_?"

"_Kitsune-tsuki_ was…and is…an organization of the greatest anti-Alice Academy supporters among the world. Since years ago, the organization members have terrorized some IAC events, they devote themselves to kidnap and brainwash teens and kids when there are so many triple-stars flock together, well, mainly severe and brilliant ones, to join them rebelling against the academy."

"But I guess the academy has increased the safety of the participators of the competition. Moreover after the previous IAC…"

"This is not the right time to discuss the _Kitsune-tsuki_, "said Hotaru, "C'mon, let's look for Mikan."

Hotaru, Iinchou, and Yome Kokoro, followed by Usagin, quickly ran to the drug store and beyond the curious crowd they found out that it was…

"Huh?"

It was completely undamaged!

"But there's smoke coming out of it…"said a seven-year-old girl.

"Hotaru! Don't!"

Before they knew it, Hotaru had wheeled out of the crowd to the still smoking store. She banged the door open and found that there wasn't a single soul in there…

_To Be Continued…_

------------------------------------------------------.

A/N: The whole mysterious explosions secrets will be revealed in the next two chapters!

Stay tune, guys, RxR!


	5. Chapter 5: Is This The End?

Chapter 5: Is This The End?

"_**I'll give everything you want, little girl…"**_

"_**If you dare to work for me…"**_

"_**But, have you guessed…"**_

"_**What you will find in your future if you do not…?"**_

"_Darkness?"_

------------------------------------------------------------------------…

"Ho-Hotaru…?" Iinchou peeked over Hotaru's shoulder, his eyes widened in shock, "There's…There's nobody in there…"

"Nogitsune…" whispered Hotaru.

"Beg your pardon?"

"Nogitsune did this…"

"Nogitsune?" asked Usagin blankly, "Now who's that bloke?"

"Hotaru-_san_…"said Yome Kokoro, "Do you mean…_Shiro Kitsune_?"

"You know perfectly well who he is from me, Yome, "said Hotaru.

"Well…"he said, unconcerned, "…I can't tell them, Imai-_san_, your story is too…"

"Then, "said Usagin, "What does that guy have to do with Hotaru-_chan_?"

"Imai? Iinchou?"

"Ruka-_pyon_!" said Usagin happily as he hopped towards him.

"Whoa, Usagin! I'm happy to see you, too, "said Ruka, "What happened inside?"

"Err…The famous _Kitsune-tsukai_ has…I think…kidnapped some people…"said Iinchou, "The shop is empty, not even an attendant…"

"What?" said Ruka, "Who did this?"

"Nogitsune, "said Hotaru, "The Demon Head of _Kitsune-tsuki_."

"_Kitsune-tsu…_?"

"Pardon me, excuse me, sorry, please, excuse…"A man pushed aside some students and jostled out of the crowd, followed by a few other guys, "I'm the chosen Security Chief of International Alice Competition, I'm here to check on the source of all this…terrorism…, "he raised his eyebrows when he arrived behind Hotaru and friends, "And what are you, on which _one_ of you I know _really_ well, doing?"

"Oh, Misaki-_sensei_!" said Yuu.

"Misaki-_sensei_, we believe an idi—I mean, student named Mikan Sakura from class B is involved in this accident, "said Hotaru.

"This is horrible; we've never thought that _Kitsune-tsuki_ would ever act this early," he turned to his colleagues and shouted, "Quick, announce to all students! Nobody will be allowed to walk around Central Town again until we know the person behind this all!"

Then he turned back to them and said very seriously, "Who else do you know involved in this?"

"Uhm…"said Usagin, drawing everybody's attention, "Have any of you seen Natsume-_kun_ around?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------…

"Oi…wake up already."

"H-huh?"

"How many times I have to shout or I'll just use my alice to bring your head down."

"Down?"

"Yeah." "Down the tree, blockhead."

Mikan opened her eyes. She felt very dizzy. She could smell distant fragrance of trees, damp air, wet shrubs, small flowers…

"Oh, Natsume, what time is it?" she asked stupidly.

"Like I care, "said Natsume, "Come down quickly or I'll leave ya tangling there."

"What are you talking…?"

She suddenly realized that everything around her was upside-down. Someone had somehow tied her feet hanging on a tree with her head at the bottom. Unfortunately, she couldn't free her feet out of the problem in her current position.

Natsume soon grew bored with her fruitless attempts and announced, "I'll count to five…"

"Wait, don't leave me alone!"

"One…"

"Help meeeee………!"

"Two…"

"Okay, I can't take this anymore!"

"Three…"

"Burn me on!"

"What? Are you crazy?"

"I'm STUCK, for your information, pervert!"

For a few seconds in Natsume's mind he felt the temptation of his usual self…to leave her alone there, bat-like, helpless…or maybe burn her to pieces of flesh...shut her mouth…to drive her crying home like a baby…

Instead, his real self walked approaching Mikan's upside-down body and said, "Hang on for a while."

"What?"

"Hang on, "he said almost affectionately, "I'll get you down. Be quiet and stay still…"

"Natsume…"

Mikan felt her heart beat even faster on each step Natsume took while approaching her.

Actually Natsume did, too, but he hid it with his emotionless, cold expression, but beyond his realization, nothing he wanted more at the moment than making the girl he loved so much in front of him, understood the fact clearly inside her simple, innocent brain.

----------------------------------------------------------------------…

"Hotaru! Where are you going, wait up!"

"I'm going to look for those two morons."

"But, Misaki-_sensei_ ordered us to go back!"

"It'll take days before they find Mikan, "she said, "So, I'm taking my own way."

"Hotaru-_san_, don't!"

"What ails you?" asked Ruka loudly, "You wanna be kidnapped like those people? You know _Kitsune-tsuki_ preys upon children with triple-stars, don't you?"

"So what?" she asked, "You know that they can admit a murder in five seconds, don't you?"

"But that doesn't make you excused to look for them!"

"Well, who have the rights to forbid me from?"

"Don't you know the danger you'll be facing with?"

"Do you want to see your friend brought back here as a corpse, idiot!"

"You called me an idiot and later I'll laugh on your dead body!"

"You wanna taste an _Oni-blast_, Nogi?"

"Like I care, you ignorant fool!"

"What…have…you…just…said…!"

"I said…! Like I care, you ignorant fool!"

Everybody who was about to take a bus to go back to school sweat-dropped as they watched the couple continued shouting at each other (including Iinchou, who had no idea, and Yome Kokoro, who was selling tickets of this show on Hotaru's orders from her mind.)

------------------------------------------------------…

"Where are we, Natsume?"

"If I knew, why should I help you before?"

"Natsume, you meanie!" said Mikan, "Then why are we here?"

"Idiot, we were at the drug store when suddenly there was a light bomb and here we are in this forest."

"Then who did that?"

"Why should I care? Maybe Imai or the brat Narumi or…"

His eyes widened. "…_Kitsune-tsuki_…?"

"Natsume? What's wrong?"

He stood up and grabbed Mikan's hand, "C'mon, let's get outta here!"

"Na-Natsume, whoah!"

Natsume pulled Mikan running through the unknown forest.

"Natsume! Urgh…where are we going to!"

"_Kitsune-tsuki_! We're running away from those beasts or we're dead meat!"

"What's _Kitsune-tsu_…yowtch!"

Natsume suddenly stopped dead on his tracks and Mikan's forehead hit his shoulder hard.

"That hur--!"

"Shut up!" said Natsume, "I hear…footsteps."

"Huh? Whose?" said Mikan, "Hotaru?"

"It can't be, "said Natsume, "We can't be easily seen from here. Just don't…make…a sound."

But Mikan finally heard it…dry leaves grazing…footsteps…even louder…three creatures … slowly … steadily…approaching…Not good, thought Mikan, This is NOT good!

"No!" she whispered and hugged Natsume's arm.

Natsume could feel the warmth of her trembling hand, she was very cowardly after all, he had known for a long time…and with that in his mind, he whispered very clearly, "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Zrrrkk…zrrkk…Zrrkkk…zrrkk…

Natsume concentrated; he focused on her alice, ready to attack…

Come out, come out, _Kitsune-tsuki_, he tempted in his mind…

"Hyuuga…" The three figures appeared before them and Natsume immediately launched a sudden fire attack towards them all. They yelled in surprise and left their guard down.

However, his attack was followed by another explosion, right behind Mikan and Natsume!

"Cut it out! Cut it out!"

"Huh?"

_To Be Continued…_

-----------------------------------------------------------------…

A/N: How's the chap? Please post a review of it! Check out what happened next in the next chappy! Have you guessed who did all this to them? Don't trust your mind so easily!

**Oh, and one more important note, I may be a little late in posting some of my chapters ahead, I have some other business to do so my typing time might be cut. I'm really sorry but I really beg you to wait patiently if I do late! I'm sorry!**


	6. Chapter 6: The Secret of Fox Spirits

A/N: I've finally finished it! Thank you for your wait! (Bowed down) What took me so long is my holiday to Hong Kong with my family for about a week …and nevertheless my amount of undone homework once I got back…..so on my whole holiday, I didn't touch the computer at all! I spent two whole weeks or so without touching the internet! (The longest period without surfing in my whole life…)

Well, enough the random talk, enjoy the chap, guys!

Chapter 6

Far, far away from Alice Academy, in the depths of Tokyo, a group of people were standing silently in front of a room, obviously undisturbed room. One of them, wearing a mask and baggy clothes, knocked the wooden door twice, but he didn't get any reply. Neither he nor his friends looked surprised by this; they stood quietly still, until the door slowly creaked open.

The man who knocked the door stepped into the darken room. Another man was there, sitting on a leather couch, prominently nodded his head as the first man walked in. "Master _Shiro Kitsune_…" he said as he took another step and kneeled down. He bowed his head and continued, "We have brought you the children."

The door slammed behind him. Alone with his master, it looked as he was under invisible pressure, as the second man stood up and spread even more grandeur inside the small room. "Have you told them all?" he said with a heavy, husky voice.

"Yes, Master, as you've ordered, "the masked man looked up, "They swore to accomplish with all their might for you, regardless of risking anyone's life…"

"I need not know that, "replied the master, "I just want you all to make sure that they can keep their promises."

"Of course, Master."

"Have you gotten any news about the brats?"

"Yes, we have, "he answered, "It looked like they have made some explosions with no purpose, we wonder why…"

"Hump, it's the cue…"the master smiled evilly, "The academy has prepared for the worst from us!"

"Pardon me?" said the man, "How could those …?"

"I'm sure they tried to _bait_ us, "said the master, "Of course, as the Demon Head of _Kitsune-tsuki_, I will accept their challenge. We'll show them that nobody could stand against _Kitsune-tsuki_."

The man grinded his teeth and approached the window. He half-opened the curtain and said, "Alice Academy…Fools…They thought they're full of wisdom…but they know nothing about alices…We will teach those fools a lesson…The lesson they'll never forget…From the one and only, I, Master Nogitsune!"

"Do you have any plan, Sir?"

"A plan! Just wait until I take those duffers one by one…"he said, "I'll turn the competition into flutter, into chaos and nobody can stop my genius plan, but one…"

"One person from the whole world can stop your plan?" asked the first man, surprised, who is that person?"

"It is my biggest fault I left her alive, "Nogitsune replied, "And when she knew I would never give up chasing her, she was forced to seek protection to the academy, and it was too late for me."

"Master, why don't you just break into the academy and kidnap her?"

"First of all, it was obvious if we kidnap and murder only one person, "he explained, "The academy can easily increase their guards to the students and we might not be able to break through on our means of days. Second, this person obviously knows that we haven't given up hope to catch her. And she must have increased her level of alice as high as possible to protect herself and people around her by all means. Unfortunately, even in my opinion, it is pretty hard to drive her away. But don't worry, when she leaves her guard down during the IAC, I will kill her right away."

"Does she have any relation with you?"

The second man laughed. "We have met, "he said, "I could see her potency for our organization ever since I set eyes on her. What a pity she joined the academy, and my mistake, she can fail our plan."

"Then what should we do?"

"I have a way out of that simple problem, "he said, "This is what you should do. Perhaps you know a girl called…Hotaru Imai?"

------------------------------------------------------------------…

_Ka-BOOOM!_ Something exploded above them. Natsume didn't have time to look up. Great God…I'm attacked from front and above! he thought desperately, You've saved this idiot a few times but I'd rather you don't now…

"Cut it out! Cut it out!"

"Huh?"

"You'll burn us, please, extinguish the fire!"

"What the hell…"said Natsume, "Tobita?"

_Baka! Baka! Baka ! Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka! Baka!..._

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, stop it! Aim it somewhere else, old hag! Okay! Okay! I'll stop the fire!"

The fire quickly extinguished.

"Idiot, you want us to be turned into crisp?"

"Yes, I mean, no, "said Natsume.

"Hotaru! Is it you?" asked Mikan, peeking carefully behind Natsume's back.

_Baka!_ Ouch, okay, a simple answer, thought Mikan.

"Hotaru………….!" Mikan immediately burst to tears and swooshed to hug her friend.

However, Hotaru only pointed to something above Mikan's head.

"What's that?" she asked, "Did it come from the explosion before?"

"There's something written on the paper…"said Yome Kokoro, "Con…gra…tu…lations?"

"CONGRATULATIONS!"

Four of them jumped in surprise. It was a Narumi, wearing a peculiar purple cape and a feathered hat, smiling widely.

"What are you playing with us?" asked Natsume rudely.

"Whoa, whoa, you haven't passed the test yet, "said Narumi

"What test?"

"There's one more thing you should do and that is…"

"Kyaaaaaa!!" said Mikan, "T-there is…s-something…behind…_Sensei_, you…?"

The forest was suddenly covered with thick mist. Narumi-_sensei_ did nothing but grinning. Iinchou looked frightened. Natsume kept Mikan behind his back. Yome Kokoro, was as usual, smiling (?).

Frightening howls could be heard beyond the mist. Not ordinary howls. Mythical howls as cold as the freezing iceberg. What were these creatures? They were surrounding the four kids and Narumi even closer. Mikan could presume a vague figure of an animal on four legs coming towards them. Then, after they were close enough to be seen of the mist, Mikan finally found out how they were really look like.

Foxes. Hundreds and hundreds of foxes. Foxes with bloody red eyes, which walked without making a sound, as it floated on the air. Each had shiny, silver-and-yellowish fur which blown backwards of their body, even though Mikan couldn't feel any trace of breeze. Mikan couldn't think about how they shone as bright as the moonlight, and how their golden tails sparkled like crystals, all she could bear to think about was…

"What…what are they doing?" she began to tremble, "_Sensei_! Get away from there!"

Narumi didn't move an inch. He just smiled there, while the out-of-the-world herd of foxes approached him even closer from behind.

"Narumi! You heard what she said!" yelled Natsume, "They'll toast you! Get away!"

"Hotaru, do something!"

"Easy for you to say, but tell me what the heck are these beasts…" she replied, "…But I think, they are just…"

"_Iinchou_! Those creatures are…"

When they reached Narumi_-sensei_, the foxes just passed him. They didn't bite, or howl, or even look at him. They just ignored him at all, as he was invisible to them. They fixed their eyes only on Mikan and her friends; those hungry, piercing, creepy eyes…Hallelujah! So they wanted a fresh, oh-not-so-ripe dinner, huh?

"Narumi! This is not funny!" said Natsume, "Get your pets back to their cages, now!"

However, the foxes started to circle them, forced them to stay close. Natsume tried to use his alice on them, but it just didn't work out with them, maybe they was resistant with fire? Those freaky eyes, thought Natsume desperately, These monsters are giving me the creeps! I can't think of anything! And what kind of howl is that? Oh, gimme a break! I thought foxes sounded 'kon, kon'? That's it. They're even starting to growl!

Mikan started to cry once more, but instead of calling her an idiot, Hotaru said, "These creatures are approaching us from detecting fears in our mind…"

Everybody looked at her. "I've met them before, they are merely illusions. They multiply as our fears expand…"

The foxes are circling them even closer. They resembled a pack of hunting dogs which went astray.

"…And that is why, we mustn't be afraid to them."

"Imai…" said Natsume, "How did you know…?"

"They will not harm us until our fears reached the limit, "she continued, "What they are doing now is just feeding more fear in our hearts. Do not be afraid to them. They'll keep pressing our mental as they grow…"

Natsume forced his brain to concentrate. It didn't matter where Hotaru got those information, there was a fair amount going on.

"Polka-dots, think of anything funny, "he said, "Quick, you, too, Tobita!"

But suddenly a person came out of a bush behind them that broke everyone's concentration.

"Ruka!"

"I thought I'll give Imai a lesson but I saw mist appearing from nowhere around here…" he said, "Then I came to check out, and what are those things?"

"Sure is something I'm not acquaintance with…" said Usagin, "Are they living beings?"

"Ruka, try your alice on them…"said Natsume.

"It's no use, "Hotaru said, "Nothing will affect them at all."

"Why don't they attack us while we're talking?" asked Tobita, "They're illusions! You all better don't trust them!"

"They're nothingness…? But they look so real!"

"Please! Please dwell that they are only six-dimensional pictures or whatever! They are not real!"

One of the foxes let out a galling howl, followed by the others.

"Oh, no, too late…"

The fox jumped forward and sprang at Hotaru with its claws, its mouth gaping wildly; its eyes were tantalized to rip and murder the girl in front of it.

The kids shouted "LOOK OUT!" almost at the same time, but Hotaru didn't move from her spot, with her emotionless face of her.

And in just around a jiffy or so…the beauty both beast landed behind Hotaru, it just penetrated her like passing wind, with everyone's amazement……..

And slowly, very slowly, the rooted foxes disappeared….Natsume could see their eyes turned blue instead of ruby red, and their faces turned tamer, calmer, and somehow, wiser…

"Good job!"

Narumi finally spoke out a word while smiling widely and clapping his hands. Natsume knew he just stood on his very spot watching them "fighting for their lives"…bullshit, I remembered he's just been playing tricks on us all along! I'm so gonna burn the crap outta him next time…!

"Those critters back then are the so-called fox spirits of the Western Woods, "he explained cheerfully, "They were left here years ago by the legendary leader of _Kitsune-tsuki_…Master Nogitsune."

"Nogitsune…that's the name you whispered just now…"said Ruka. He clapped eyes with Hotaru, but she quickly glanced away from him. Ruka felt his heart boiled, but he looked at Narumi and listen to him anyway.

"As the clever Miss Hotaru Imai said, they detected us from our level of fear, the more you fear them, the more they'll act to make your fear even bigger. That is why I cannot see them at all."

"You cannot see them…at all? But just now, there were hundreds of them!" said Mikan.

"I presume that I am not afraid of them, so both they and I cannot see each other, but I know they are here just now, because all I can see of their arrival is the mist, and your freaky cute little faces."

Throw away your perverted comments! thought Natsume.

"We considered that they will kill us when we're soon…some kind of traumatized to them…or in other words, fear them so much. We never know how, but sometimes we can find corpses of poor students who went astray in Western Woods, and accidentally met them."

"Then why do you keep those dangerous foxes here? Why don't you do something to drive them away?"

"_Kitsune-tsuki_ left them in every Alice Academy in the world, "said Narumi, "Such a clever plan, and we don't realize it at all, until we found out that Nogitsune can control these beings as he wants to, it might be his alice after all…so they prepared armies inside the walls of Alice Academy, but actually, these foxes are quite kind and tame."

"……….Are you joking?"

"They'll become wild every time they sense fear near them. You see, their eyes turned red every time they face humans, but if not, they won't harm anyone. If they see many people, they'll be tempted to try scaring them, that's why they made the mist. But fortunately, they failed to eat your soul out of your body and you succeed on time in evading them from you, by reducing your fear to minimum."

"Wait, so what exactly are they? Animals, spirits, or illusions?"

"Maybe all three of them."

Everybody stared at Narumi. "That's gotta be a joke."

"Personally, I don't know much about them, and so does the school faculty. Probably they're some sort of spirits created by Nogitsune, but we never know their clear identities, because we have never managed to catch even a single one of them. But why are we talking about this now? Congratulations, kids! You have passed the test for becoming REPRESENTATIONS of Tokyo Alice Academy!"

"What? H-how come?"

"I'll explain all later. Now let's get back to the school grounds!"

"W-wait up, Narumi-_sensei_!"

Mikan, Yome Kokoro, Hotaru, and Tobita ran to catch up with Narumi-_sensei_. Natsume turned to look at Ruka instead.

"Can you explain…?" he asked.

"Oh, it's that stupid Hotaru who gave my rabbit a Translating Potion or whatever…" said Ruka, "I had a row with her just now, she's such a…"

"I mean, can you explain why you came by when you were having a row?"

"That's because I'm worried, she asked Tobita and Yome Kokoro to accompany her going inside the Western Woods! That was ridiculous, going all alone inside the woods while terrorists were hanging about the school area? When I was thinking whether I should go back to school or not, I saw mist appearing, so I quickly went there to get that insane girl back where she should be!"

"………………"

"Natsume?"

"Nothing, just forgive her; she has her reasons after all."

"What reasons?"

"Nothing you need to know."

* * *

A/N: Two words, "Please review!" 


	7. Chapter 7: Behind The Depths of Darkness

Chapter 7

It was February 2nd. Alice Academy was, unusually busy of the preparation of the biggest event that year, International Alice Competition. Even though they had been chosen "officially" to represent Tokyo Alice Academy, Mikan and her friends still couldn't believe what Narumi-_sensei_ explained on the very day.

"_The school faculty had prepared for this test long before we announced the IAC to y'all…" he said playfully, "It was so well-prepared that I even amazed myself...First, we checked and checked the students' records, then we sent people to spy on the ones we think are the rightful candidates to our school. We observed whatever they did for around a week, then we looked for a chance to see how they act if they are in emergency situations!"_

"_You spied on us?" asked Natsume, his insides seemed writhing with anger, "How many times I have to teach you not to disturb anyone's private life?"_

"_We know what we have done might be rash, but representations needed for such an elite tournament as IAC are not easy to find. We have to handpick the students ourselves. It's not as simple as looking for clever bits inside your skulls, you know. IQ and EQ is severely needed for this tournament, that's why."_

"_You could just…"_

"_Enough all this talk. I'll explain more about the tournament tomorrow. You can have fun with your friends until that, and then we'll have to PRACTICE hard for this, understand?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Say 'Yes, _Sensei_.'"_

"_Yes, _Sensei_."_

"_Good! Then see you at 3 o'clock sharp at the school yard this Monday!"_

So today was Monday, good grief. Actually, Mikan wasn't really pleased with her new status as an "official" Tokyo Alice Academy representation. She sighed before entering her classroom. Hotaru was a techno superstar, Iinchou was the king of high-grader illusionists, Ruka was extremely good, and Natsume was obviously outstanding. Well, count Yome Kokoro out anyway. Then what about herself? Everyone knew her as the complete one-starred lamer in class B. What will her classmates think about her?

"How could the _baka_ join the IAC Tournament?"

It was Sumire all right, who else would have a first impression like that?

"I know about the brat Imai, Tobita, but that the _baka_ Mikan Sakura joining the tournament holds no real significance for the rest of us!"

"Just say that you're jealous to her, "said Yome Kokoro.

"Shut your mouth. Because I know Narumi's a complete fraud, I ought to ask this IMPORTANT problem: I should be the one who will assist Natsume-_kun_ in the tournament, I'm a Double!"

"One more word and I'll banish you with one or two _Oni_-blasts, "said Hotaru.

"Natsume-_kun_! Why are you with that _baka_?!"

Mikan, who was standing firmly by the door, was surprised by Natsume's arrival beside her.

"What's with all the racket?" Usagin and Ruka had arrived.

"I heard it, "said Natsume, "Something to do with the Strawberries."

Sumire quickly said, "Yes! That's it! We want to…"

"I suggest you shut up and sit, "said Natsume, "If you want to enter the tournament, you can take my place any time, who wants to engage in this utterly lousy tournament anyway? With _Kitsune-tsuki_ wandering around, I doubt this will be enjoyable for all of you."

The whole class suddenly silenced. W-what happened? thought Mikan. Some of her classmates were as confused as herself. The rest looked frightened, curious, and pretended not to hear. What's with the flunky atmosphere?! Wait, it seemed more like icy than flunky. Icy and frosty.

"_Kitsune…_"

"He just said it."

"_Kitsune-tsuki_…"

Whispers suddenly filled the icy atmosphere, making it two times colder, and when Mikan was about to say something, Hotaru stood up. Everybody's eyes were on her.

"Wise move, Hyuuga, "That was all she said.

Mikan suddenly felt uneasy. Hotaru looked…creepy, what was actually happening? Just about twenty seconds ago the class was as carefree and intensive as ever…and after Natsume had mentioned _Kitsune-tsuki_, everybody changed. Iinchou looked worried, Sumire looked dumb, Ruka was panicked behind Natsume, and Hotaru was looking at Natsume like a mother eagle that was going to kill her prey.

"Shut your mouth, "said Natsume, "You ought to thank me I've never told anyone about that 'thing'. To cap it off, you even have some sort of fetish for _Kitsune-tsuki_."

The whole class seemed holding their breath at this point. Mikan had no idea of what was happening at the moment, but noticing Hotaru's expression, she knew she really had to settle this before the situation worsened. Just as she about to say a word to Natsume…

"Natsume, quit it, will ya?"

Ruka finally decided to break the silence.

However, that wasn't really necessary, because suddenly the bell rang and Natsume didn't want to answer him back, so the class atmosphere was slowly returning back to normal.

-------------------------------------------

Hotaru's mood hadn't been changing a bit when she and Mikan were walking side by side along the corridor after school that day. They were going to meet Narumi-_sensei_, but since the others thought Hotaru needed some time alone, they left her with Mikan, who was her best friend anyway.

"Hotaru?" Mikan suddenly blurted out, "Are you okay?"

"Don't ask about such trivial stuffs, "she replied coolly.

"Hotaruuuu…do you hate me?"

"Maybe."

Maybe? Mikan immediately cried beside her. Hotaru was as cold as usual, and Mikan was just as lame…but something wasn't right with her friend, Mikan would know that even if anybody else didn't, and right know she noticed that her Hotaru's mood became substantially worsened. Hotaru walked so fast that Mikan stumbled once in a while in her attempts to catch up with her.

"Hotaru…what ails you? Did Natsume say anything wrong to you?"

Upon hearing those words, Hotaru walked even faster.

"Hey, wait up!"

"It's unexplainable, "Hotaru said with a crisp voice, "But it hurts."

"I don't get it!" said Mikan.

That was rewarded with a good ol' _baka_ bullet.

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The school yard was packed with students when they arrived. Narumi definitely invited other students to watch their practice or whatever. That Narumi…thought Hotaru, Thanks to me he is able to do whatever he wants to. Why? Because Jinno is still on his bed, dreaming wildly, having nightmares all this time…Well, I see none of the teachers can find an antidote to my _Oni_-blast.

In spite of the crowd, no ordinary student was standing in the middle of the school yard. Hotaru could see Narumi's slender figure and the rest of the school faculty (minus Jinno) from afar, standing inside that empty space which was shaped like a wide circle. They must have applied a barrier around that space.

"Mikan!"

"Ah!" said Mikan, "Misaki-_sempai_!"

"How are you? I heard you've been chosen to represent the school! Congratulations!"

"Thanks, Misaki! What about you?"

"Those teleporters and fox ghosts really freaked my out! But Tsubasa and the others came just in time. Well, we couldn't pass the trial though…"said Misaki, "Those spirits wouldn't budge even after we attacked them with everything we got."

"Then how could you survive?"

"Some teachers came and we teleported with them, out of the forest. The mist was still there when we last saw the forest, "she explained, "Those creatures were really creepy. What are they?"

"They are something _Kitsune-tsuki_ left a long time ago. Do you know _Kitsune-tsuki_?"

"Of course I know. Everybody must know. They are stealth experts, they can kill anybody with determination, I mean, they're cruel…"

"Yeah, we know that, right, Hotaru?"

Hotaru didn't say a thing.

"Listen…" Misaki grabbed Mikan's shoulder and looked at her with glinting eyes. Her face was so solemn that Mikan kept looking at her eyes.

"You gotta be really careful because you two are going to engage in this tournament, "said Misaki seriously, "The point is not winning or losing, but saving your own lives. You are all preys for _Kitsune-tsuki_ in this tournament, because there's no turning back. The number of representations died in this tournament is not just a few, yet they still hold this silly life-betting game. I am personally relieved I am not chosen for this risky tournament."

Mikan didn't know how to reply. She could only nod. Hotaru's lips were tightly pursed.

_You are all preys for _Kitsune-tsuki_, because there's no turning back…_

_---------------------------------------------------_

"Now, let's start this little practice!"

Narumi had gathered the obviously "chosen" students inside the wide circle-shaped space. Hotaru looked around her. As promised, there were 15 students in total. They looked like ordinary students, except for the three small stars shining on each of their uniforms. Two of them even got a Special rank. One of them was obviously Natsume. Looking at that ever-scowling face, Hotaru felt her anger reverted. Damply, she turned her head back to Mikan, who was excitedly examining every single person around them like a fussy and feeble child inside an extremely bizarre toy store. As Hotaru had predicted, Mikan kept asking questions about oh-so-trivial things as she was trapped in an oh-so-baffling situation. How annoying. Where was vandalism when you needed one?

"Look, look, Hotaru! That guy over there got a Special star on his uniform! Is he greater than Natsume? What do you think about it, Hotaru? Hotaru?"

Hotaru gave her nothing but a mischievous smile. You'll be surprised with the number of Special stars in the tournament, missy, She thought. But wait, that's not the point. Right now she was tending to teach the _kuroneko _a little lesson. Well, forget the 'little' part, coz it would be BIG.

"Huh? Why are you smiling, Hotaru? Are you happy now?"

The answer was yes and no. Or whatever, coz she didn't care anyway.

"Listen up, boys and girls!" said Narumi loudly, "I think there have already been many speculations between you about what sort of competition this tournament will be. I can only say it will be a safe tournament so have fun in it!"

Not if _Kitsune-tsuki_ joined the fun. They would instantly change the tournament into a haunted house game.

"We gathered you here to tell you about some important things…" said Narumi, "First of all, there will be three rounds in the tournament. You will compete with the other chosen representations abroad. About the rounds…we cannot tell you what they are."

"What?!"

The students exchanged anxious looks.

"But don't worry because they are 100 percent safe! Now then…"

Narumi showed a very dramatic smile.

"I have no worries because I trust all of you. I just need you to be careful to the main perpetrator of the most dangerous problem in the tournament…"

Narumi's tone was so frightening that some of the students shivered a little.

"The main perpetrator…?" Mikan asked blankly.

_Kitsune-tsuki_...thought Hotaru.

"But because of your satisfying performances in the trial, I assume you can pass the tournament just fine." Narumi cleared his throat before continuing. "…_Kitsune-tsuki_'s main weapon is their foxes after all."

And the situation once again reverted. Almost all of Hotaru's seniors gasped, held their breaths, and exchanged shocked looks on their faces. However, this time those reactions were quickly turned back to normal. Sure, Hotaru thought, they might have known about _Kitsune-tsuki_'s household name in this tournament.

"So today's main activity is the 'GHOST HUNT'!" said Narumi cheerfully.

What the…?! What was that coming out of the blue?!

"As I've already said, our main priority is to keep you safe from those pesky fox spirits, but you yourselves must also can defend your own heads from them! So now go! Go and bring back one of them! All of you!"

That was such a sinister, passionate command!

"But, _sensei_…" said a scowling high-school student, "The teachers said that nobody has ever managed to catch even one of them!"

"That's why you have to! If you can catch just one of them and change our current unlucky position, we might win the advantage! Can't you understand? Conceivably, Jinno won't agree with me about this but this is neither a wind nor a joke! This is for your own sake!" he emphasized the last sentence.

Narumi sure looked much more serious than ever. Oh, and he even mentioned Jinno, so it was a lucky thing Hotaru "nightmarized" him. By the way, it seemed that Jinno hadn't woken up till this very day. Would Narumi find the guts to do so if she didn't? After all, those foxes aren't good things to be played with in this silly hunting game. Why? Because they could take the hunters part whenever they want.

------------------------------------------------------------

"So now what should we do, Hotaru?"

Mikan and Hotaru had arrived at the forest where they first met the misty foxes.

Good question. What the hell should they do here? Coming back proudly after fulfilling the mandatory with a ferocious fox spirit was as easy as winning ten International Alice Competitions in a row. When Hotaru was busy thinking, something suddenly appeared from a bush near her.

"Yikes!" gasped Mikan.

"Don't worry, it's just…" said Hotaru, "Usagin? What are you doing? Where's Ruka?"

"Watch out! Watch out!" it said, "Ruka-_kun_…Psycho…a weird psycho appeared and attacked Ruka-_kun_! _Kitsune-tsuki_!"

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A/N: Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry X'Mas and Happy New Year, everyone! I still got plenty to do, ack, maybe I can't get the next chapter on time again, but don't worry, I'll continue it, or my e-mail friends will beat me up, lol. RxR!!


	8. Chapter 8: Appeared and Dissapeared

Chapter 8

"Natsume, can you explain about whatever you were talking about earlier?"

"Which one?"

"The one with Imai and _Kitsune-tsuki_…"

"There's nothing to be explained about it, " he said sarcastically.

Ruka and Natsume were approaching the Western Woods. They had just listened to Narumi's horrible mandatory and they had no choice but went and tried to play "fox stalkers". Conceivably, they would fail, but Natsume didn't care.

"Why did that mean costume-freak guy send us out here?" asked Usagin, "Why don't he send us out for cultural clubs or something, it's still much more useful than this!"

Natsume liked the rabbit's thoughts, but of course he didn't say it out aloud.

"Why don't we just dismiss?" agitated Usagin with its squeaky voice, "I wanna meet Hotaru again."

"Why do you like her all of a sudden?" asked Ruka desperately, "I've never met anyone other than Mikan who ever likes her that much."

"Oh, really?" said Usagin slyly, smirking.

"Why are you smirking?"

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are!"

Natsume sighed as his two companions were arguing with each other. He'd rather have gone home as Usagin had said earlier. This ghost hunting was just a complete waste of time.

"This is b-o-r-i-n-g!" Usagin blabbed out.

"Can't you just shut up?!" said Ruka.

"Boring!" it said even louder, and suddenly it jumped out of Ruka's grasps.

"Wait! Where are you going to?!" Ruka directly chased the little bunny into the forest.

"Ruka!" shouted Natsume. Oh, man, now I'm all alone! he thought.

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Usa! Come back here!" shouted Ruka repeatedly.

Damn it! he thought, Why was I so stupid, letting Imai gave the Translating-whatever potion to it, and now it runs astray like a locomotive out of track!

"Ouch!" He tripped a stone and fell onto the ground. "That hurts!"

Damned gods up there shall pay for this! Or rather, that disdain Imai should.

Because suddenly, Ruka saw mist covering the air around him once again…

The fox spirits had reappeared.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Usagin was running (hopping?) away from Ruka when suddenly it smelled the damp mist. It saw someone from behind the bushes; a tall figure wearing a long robe and on his face, a mask of a fox. It couldn't see clearly from afar, but it saw fox spirits appearing behind the mysterious person. Surely, the foxes didn't judge the creepy man with the mask as just a humble person. And a few meters from the foxes, sat Ruka with his jaws opened, shaking with fear. In this state, it was impossible for Ruka to counter their attacks.

I must do something, I must do something, I must do something, thought the little rabbit desperately. The first person flashed in its mind was Natsume. Without wobbling anymore it ran away from the spot as fast as it could. It passed through bushes and shrubs, its rabbit instinct sharpened more than ever to evade it from being disoriented, looking for every shortcut. Every step it took enhanced its terror and panic. For an instance it was envious of how dogs could find their way out very quickly.

It had just struggled passing a very thick shrub when it bumped into someone's feet. It looked up to see who it was…and the rabbit widened its eyes in a mixture of shock and fear.

It was the same man from before!

How could he arrive here faster than it? That was surely impossible unless he could fly!

Usagin had a very strong aspiration to get out of this somehow haunted forest, but it saw someone, a boy. Usagin sure felt that it had seen him somewhere before. It couldn't see the boy's expression clearly from behind the standing man, since the boy was in front of the man. When it was forcing its rabbit brain to think…

"Come……..Illusions of the trickster fox, come to your prey and sleep, because you have swore to the gods of the rain, that you will always come for your master, from the rings of eternal flames……"

The man suddenly acted like a professional occultist and mumbled mysterious words which sound stupid in the rabbit's ears as though they were memorized proverbs.

This man sure was asking for a good exorcism, but Usagin was too scared to think about it at the minute. Its aching cerebrum only commanded it to run. It cringed and started to walk backwards very slowly and silently.

"Who was this little creature behind me?"

Usagin's heart bounced as the man whispered clearly without even looking back. The only thing could make him content was to run away pointlessly, it didn't care as long as it could get away from that man as far as it could, and it did able to escape.

However…

It seemed that the man…had an ability that today's advanced civilization could not compare.

------------------------------------------------------------------

"……And that's what happened…" Usagin ended its tale dramatically.

"How could you act so impulsively?" asked Mikan, "Thanks to you, now Ruka-_kun_'s in a grave danger! And you even scared us by talking and explaining things out of the blue! You're a rabbit, am I right?"

"Hotaru-_chan _made me like this. I can talk to everyone now."

"What? Why Hotaru…?"

"That's not important. Where is Nogi now?" asked Hotaru.

"I ran…" it replied reluctantly, "…And I didn't pay attention to my way since I was so scared, so I don't know, sorry…."

"Nogitsune must have finally planned for something, "she said, "And my premonition said it won't be good for any of us…"

"But why did he…" said Mikan.

"Usa, you said you had seen a boy?" asked Hotaru seriously, "Don't feign your knowledge and tell us more about him."

"Couldn't see him clearly though…" said Usagin, "But I was sure that he is a boy, he wears uniforms like Ruka's and…"

He glanced to Hotaru and Mikan.

"He has short brownish hair, and I have seen him several times hanging around with you. That guy who always toying around with your minds like an idiot…"

Hotaru and Mikan looked at each other.

"…………..Could it be…Yome Kokoro?"

-----------------------------------------------------------

Minutes later, a team of school faculty went to the woods and secured Ruka. Ruka also couldn't tell much about the mysterious masked man with teleporting ability.

When he couldn't move like he was turned into a plaster statue back then, the brutish fox spirits gathered around the man vivaciously. Without a word, he explicitly disappeared from sight as the mist thickened. No one knew why they didn't spot Ruka as if he was inconspicuous. Furthermore, they even attacked Yome Kokoro, who was meters away from Ruka.

Mikan's unease became more profound as Ruka told everyone the story. Silence engulfed the room for a few seconds.

"I see…" said Narumi.

Mikan, Hotaru, Ruka, Natsume were in their classroom with the school faculty, the whole group of serious Principals, a few other school's chosen representations, and Usagin. They had been thoroughly interrogated about the extraterrestrial happenings in the forest just now, including Usagin.

A Principal came in and everyone looked at him due to his sudden arrival. "Narumi-_sensei_, I've called back all of the students in the forest. They are now save in their own dormitories, "he said, "We have searched for the missing kid in the forest. There are no traces of somebody barging in from the school walls, and there is neither sign of the foxes nor the boy at all. Abduction is greatly considered."

"Thank you, Enomoto, "said Narumi dejectedly, "And yes, abduction is greatly considered."

Mikan felt very sorry after Narumi had said those words. Yome Kokoro…kidnapped? By whom? What would happen to him if nobody could find and save him?

"Searching for the great Nogitsune is just as wasteful as groping our way in the dark."

Mikan looked up and saw Hotaru's brother, Imai-_sempai_, stood up and decided to express his comment,

"The best thing we can do now is to wait him to take action. Once he comes here again to abduct another child, we should be able to capture him. And now I suggest that we canceling this year's International Alice Competition. If I remember correctly, _Kitsune-tsuki_ rarely becomes active before the IAC starts and I sense something sinister behind this anomaly…"

"Perverter."

Mikan almost jumped from her seat. The one who spoke that word was Hotaru.

"You know very well that Nogitsune's sole reason to come by himself here was to kidnap Yome Kokoro, otherwise he would have sent somebody else."

"Indeed, she seems right, "said, "It was just too careless for him to come gloriously here alone when the teachers were on guard."

The rest of the teachers gave abstentions only.

"Then what is his real purpose?" asked Hotaru's brother, "To come all the way here ALONE?"

"I somehow can read his mind, "said Narumi, "Get it? 'Read his mind'."

Mikan suddenly understood what her teacher meant.

Maybe…maybe the kidnappers planned to abduct the students who could "read minds". And so, if any of the kidnappers could create a barrier against Serina_-sensei'_s alice, they would be as free as birds in the academy complex.

Anywhere and anytime.

Mikan understood it now, very clearly in her mind, that the problem had finally appeared and complicated so fast. Hotaru kept sitting in silence, Ruka's face looked pale, and Natsume didn't give a damn.

Only Usagin itself could say a sentence to break the icy silence,

"………..Can I eat something now?"

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A/N: To dbzgtfan2004, 'orange-ideas', winglessfairy25, Xian-pyon, Kikto-chan, flora0moonstone, k i n d h a l o, EzMouse, and SnowCharms:

I want to say thank you for your reviews and I really appreciate all of them, millions of thanks for whoever is reading this message after reading my whole story, I love you guys.

And for Amethyst Lavender, Nobairu-chan, Kuronekosan3, Kokto-chan, Xenostriker j.g, thanks a lot for your OCs, very much.

I don't want to stop this story but well, yeah, God doesn't really bless me anyway, I have a very big problem that might make me unable to type anymore, but it's still a MIGHT, really, this is all because of an unpleasant accident.

I'm just posting this in case if it really happens someday, so please forgive me if suddenly I stop posting anything. It is up to you to believe me or not, but this is serious, and I know this'll sound silly someday if this story does continue.

And since my hand hurts now I'll just type this without editing it again for my baka email fans (sorry guys I'll use your IDs and nicks for privacy lol)...

aNiMe - LoVeR, bouken desho desho?, madeofsingapore, Dragon5ky, the1974: hey guys thanks for the OCs! I like it, bdd, you rocks!

special thanks: BornBrown: thanks for pointing for me, Yuki N. : you're killing me with deadlines!, nothinginmydimension, Crash&pWn!: thx for the some references and errors you spotted bleh lol, REGISTERED, i'm superman, LordoftheOptimistics, bouken desho desho?, NatsumeHyuuga 3, ETC ETC: you're all flooding my inbox with comments, Toppest, The Priestess, HotaRuka: thanks for your help!, HaruhiDan: I love you 3!


	9. Chapter 9: Endless Love Choc part 1

Chapter 9

Only God knows how Nogitsune managed to break through the school walls without anyone realizing it, abduct a student, and escape.

In just less from a night, almost everyone in Mikan's school knew about Nogitsune's vehement action that day; kidnapping a mind-reading boy without bringing any subordinates. This was caused by some representatives, who were sent back to their dormitories after Nogitsune's intriguing appearance and started banging their neighbors' doors, conveying everyone pompously that the master of _Kitsune-tsuki_ had appeared himself, and dejectedly said that a young boy had been successfully kidnapped without a single trace behind.

Some people expressed their meager resistance of the truth of the incident, but the rest were horribly panicked. When Mikan and Hotaru arrived back at their dormitory, their friends concurrently bombarded them with questions, and they became even more panicked when Mikan told them about Narumi-_sensei_'s suspicion about Nogitsune's plan. The whole dormitory was in enhancing chaos until Takahashi, the robot-in-charge came and gradually forced everybody to sleep.

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The next day, Mikan, queerly enough, looked for Narumi-_sensei_ to ask about something molesting in her brain.

"Narumi-_sensei_…" Mikan called out.

Narumi stopped dead on his tracks. He smiled warmly when he knew who had called his name, and said, "_Ohayou_, Mikan-_chan_. What's the problem this early in the morning?"

"Last night I couldn't really enjoy my sleep, "said Mikan, "And I'm looking for you to ask you some things."

"About _Kitsune-tsuki_? Oh don't worry about those guys, "said Narumi oh-so-fatherly, "We're working on it. We've contacted committee, the IAC won't be cancelled. You don't need to worry."

"That's…good then, "said Mikan, "But what I'm really intending to ask is…"

"Please continue."

Mikan hesitated for a while. "If _Kitsune-tsuki_ are really that strong, how can I, a single-star, defend myself when they attack me? Furthermore, why did you let me join the tournament? You've selected the candidates carefully, right? And I'm not good at using my alice, everybody doubts me because I'm just a Single…"

"Star rank is not the only thing used for selecting representatives, "said Narumi-_sensei_, "Although you're only a Single, we have proven that your ability is the most useful and severely needed for winning. Many Triple-star students could only use their alices in unimportant cases, while they lose horribly in life-threatening situations."

"Is…Is that so?"

"It's true, "said Narumi, smiling encouragingly, "And what's more important, is your relationship with the other representatives. In this tournament period, you all have to work together, whether you're chased by _Kitsune-tsuki_ or not. Who knows, you all might end up winning."

"I see."

"Is that all you want to ask?"

"Uhm, how's Jinno-_sensei_?"

"Well, how should I say this?" said Narumi. He seemed amused.

"Things were getting much easier without him around, don't you think?"

"Uhm…"

"So, Mikan_-chan_, I don't think you can see Jinno for a while, do you mind?"

"Not that I…"

"It's settled then, so see you next time!"

He walked away. Mikan stayed dumbfounded for a while, before walking clumsily to her classroom.

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"I think that is a rather despicable plan." Sumire started her opinion.

"But we don't need to worry about it right now, since all the teachers will surely guard the school much more effectively than before, I also think that we don't need to cancel the IAC. Such a rare opportunity shouldn't be lost just because a friend of ours was taken away."

"Just tell us honestly that you hate Yome Kokoro, "said Hotaru.

"Honestly, his plan has devastated the whole school, "said Sumire in comprehension, "Especially the mind-reading students…"

Mikan had known that. When she was walking out of her room, she saw a crying girl, who was clearly a mind reader and said that she didn't want to live there anymore while risking her life, and her friend, who was cheering her up to go to class. Mikan could have stayed there and watched, if Hotaru didn't pull her out the dormitory, that is.

"You could worry about it a little, even though you're just a bipedal entity with bonus mixture of a cat and a dog, "emphasized Hotaru.

"Damn you Imai, if you were not holding that demonic gun, I would scratch you to pieces, "said Sumire, "Anyway, I've gotten something more important to be thought of!"

"What's that?" asked Mikan.

"Stupid question, of course it's the Valentine's Day! Valentine! Hence I have to make chocolates for Natsume and Ruka-_kun_! It's going to be arduous coz I'll endow my whole LOVE for them!"

Upon hearing this, the boys' expression around them looked like rabbits who realized a conspiracy made by a pack of wolves.

"I'm going to vomit…" said Hotaru.

"Imai! Just because you don't understand a thing about love, that doesn't mean that you can provoke me around like that!"

"I'm not PROVOKING you…"

"Just wait and see!" Sumire pointed her finger at Hotaru and announced to the class, "One day our genius sitting right there will impulsively make a little heart-shaped chocolate for her beloved and get a kiss in return!"

Upon hearing this, the boys around them immediately thought what the chocolate would look like…and they decided to move to another prefecture school if Hotaru gave them a try.

"Like that's ever going to happen……….catdog," said Hotaru monotonously.

"You're surely asking for a scuffle, right Imai?!" said Sumire frustatedly.

"But Hotaru, making chocolates is a nice thing to do, "said Mikan happily, "Many people like chocolate as well as friends. Many people will buy tons of chocolate for people they care of!"

Upon hearing this, the boys around them all shook their heads like saying, "You got a wrong idea there, girl."

"Tons of them?" asked Hotaru, suddenly looked interested.

"Yeah, tons of them! Do you still remember, Hotaru? Back then I've ever earned a special chocolate cookie just for you on a Valentine's Day!" said Mikan energetically.

"The souvenir cookie was ruined and was made of sand…"

"Not that one! The part when the mothers were making chocolate cakes for the feat that night! We plundered some of them and got caught! Oh, how happy I am to have such happy memories!"

"What's so happy with being punished by ten old moms?"

"Enough already with your stupid memories, "said Sumire.

"Oh shut up, catdog."

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Amidst the anxiety whether Nogitsune would come once again with even more power or not, Valentine fever started to infect the whole school. Many students used their alices legally as well as illegally to take advantage of situations they deemed profitable. For example, some superb-cooking groups made special chocolates with various effects towards the consumers, techno-nerds made special devices to attract and indulge people you like and yourself, and some high-graders even offered a service or consultation for love affairs. Some freaks even dressed themselves in pink maid outfits, complete with lacy headbands.

This excess growth of 'lovey-dovey frenzy' was believed due to students' attempts for practicing their alices so they could join IAC, stealing attention from students abroad, and many things IAC-related.

Kill two or three birds with one stone, huh?

Even Hotaru was impulsive with these hot money-making activities. What shocking was… she made chocolates. Extraordinary chocolates, that is. She didn't need to fumble through her brain to create those, coz she was always a genius after all, well that was her own opinion.

Of course she wouldn't opt to do _hentai_ actions such as taking pictures of exposing girls' cleavage or bosom, or even their stark-naked bodies, and selling the pictures to boys, but that was rather a good idea, maybe she would do it sometime to make some jerks drooping, like Sumire for example, dunno if she ever has bust though. She smiled evilly at this thought. It would be easy, since she was the "Dean" of the blackmailers.

However, it was another story. Now she had to make sure that many people would buy the chocolates. Maybe a little demonstration would be enough….

But who will do it for her?

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It was February 13th. The day before Valentine was full of considerable shock. One of Mikan's classmates bought a queer optical thingy and ended up got hit in the eye. He was brought to the hospital at once, but minutes later, a girl screamed because her chocolates were biting her. The teachers searched the whole school at once and seized more than seventy fake and dangerous love instruments including food.

And yet it's not over. It took around two to three hours for the teachers to find out that the legendary invisible "ProFirecrackers" chocolates had been produced by mass. However, it was doubted that the chocolates were even real chocolates, or whether they really possessed corporeal bodies or not.

The situation couldn't be defined by logic anymore, everybody got to do menial tasks all day because of the exploding chocolates, which kept on passing the teacher's terminal knowledge of their whereabouts due to their pivotal invisible-making formula, and the concerned teachers were never content asking why somebody would bother making chocolates that even the makers themselves couldn't see?!

"It's just a prank."

Oh, thanks for the help, Sumire.

"Relatively the teachers should be grateful for this. At least they didn't make 'ConFirecrackers'."

……………………………………..Yet.

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Since the teachers were to busy with the "ProFirecrackers" incident, casually no decent teaching activities were performed. Mikan and her friends used this opportunity to enjoy the Valentine's Day as much as they could. Or in fact…

The school's Valentine's legend was once again repeated dramatically: boys recoiling hysterically from girls, while girls pulling their sleeves and choking them chocolates.

Well at least there was one thing deviating though…Hotaru received so many chocolates from someone!

"You got a wrong thing there, "said Hotaru to Mikan, "These are the chocolates I made on my own accord, for commercial needs only. And they're not integrated yet. I haven't found an antidote to them."

"What are they?! What are they?!" asked Mikan ecstatically, "Are they sentient chocolates? Or intelligent chocolates? Tell me, tell me, Hotaru!"

"Why don't you try it yourself?"

"Really? Can I?" She impeccably picked a piece of chocolate, "Thanks then, _itadakimaaaaasu!_"

Hotaru shrugged. She didn't seem to mind it at all.

Mikan had just swallowed her chocolate when Tobita passed the two of them while saying, "Hi, Mikan-_chan, _Imai-_san_…"

Mikan cheerfully replied, "Why, hello, Iinchou, I love you."

For a split second they looked at each other, until Mikan realized what she had just said and screamed, "WHAT THE HECK?!"

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End file.
